What is meant by "while you were looking on"?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. "While you were watching each other falling dead".
2. "While you were watching each other being brought back to life".
3. It means: "While you were watching how the punishment descended upon you." This is according to those who said that a fire came down and burned them.